2023 APA MISSISSIPPI CHAPTER AWARDS

 The American Planning Association Mississippi Chapter (APA Mississippi) honors innovative planning efforts and inspiring individuals with its 2023 Annual Awards. APA Mississippi’s awards program is a proud tradition established to recognize outstanding community plans, planning programs and initiatives, public education efforts, and individuals for their leadership on planning issues. These efforts help create communities of lasting value throughout the state.

These awards are selected through a juried process and will be awarded at the October Annual Alabama/Mississippi Joint Conference Awards Program.

Past winners can be viewed on our 2017 Chapter Awards Page, 2018 Chapter Awards Page, 2019 Chapter Awards Page, 2021 Chapter Awards Page and 2022 Chapter Awards Page.

These awards are selected through a juried process and were awarded at the 2023 Deep South Planning Conference Awards Luncheon in Starkville, MS.


2023 APA Mississippi Chapter Awards winners are:

• Outstanding Large Project (Communities with a population over 15,000)Longleaf Village in the Avenues, City of Hattiesburg, Orion Planning + Design, Neel-Schaffer

This award recognizes an outstanding comprehensive plan, general plan, or related document that advances the art and science of planning for a municipality, county, or region. Examples include comprehensive plans, master plans, regional plans, and related regulatory documents such as comprehensive zoning ordinances, form-based codes, unified development codes, etc.

 Outstanding Large Project (Communities with a population of under 15,000) - Envision Diamondhead Comprehensive Plan 2040, City of Diamondhead Planning Commission

This award recognizes an outstanding comprehensive plan, general plan, or related document that advances the art and science of planning for a municipality, county, or region. Examples include comprehensive plans, master plans, regional plans, and related regulatory documents such as comprehensive zoning ordinances, form-based codes, unified development codes, etc.

Best Small Area Project – Biloxi Downtown Roadmap, Downtown Biloxi, MS, Mississippi Main Street Association

This award recognizes an outstanding small area plan that advances the art and science of planning for a community, county, or region. Examples include neighborhood plans, downtown plans, district plans, corridor plans, college or university campus plans, military base plans, and other plans for small discrete (self-contained) areas. This award is given for an area that is smaller than an entire jurisdiction, without regard to population size.

2023 Great Places in Mississippi winners are:

Mississippi Great Places: Great Streets - Washington Avenue, Ocean Springs, MS

This award recognizes a community project, program, or initiative that uses information and education about the value of planning to create greater awareness among citizens generally or to specific segments of the public. The award celebrates how planning improves a community’s quality of life.

Mississippi Great Places: Public Space - City of Pascagoula, Downtown Revitalization, Pascagoula, MS

This award recognizes a community project, program, or initiative that uses information and education about the value of planning to create greater awareness among citizens generally or to specific segments of the public. The award celebrates how planning improves a community’s quality of life.

 Public Outreach Effort by a Community - Envision-Connect, Aberdeen, Boonville, Columbia, New Albany, and Water Valley Mississippi Main Street Association, Orion Planning + Design

This award recognizes a community project, program, or initiative that uses information and education about the value of planning to create greater awareness among citizens generally or to specific segments of the public. The award celebrates how planning improves a community’s quality of life. Examples include community efforts to teach and demonstrate how planning can make a difference, neighborhood empowerment programs, use of technology to expand public participation in planning, newspaper articles, a series of blog posts, publications, websites, podcasts, and/or films about planning.

President’s Award - The Museum Trail, Greater Belhaven Neighborhood, LaFleur Park, Downtown Jackson, MS

This award is given to an individual or group based on outstanding service and contributions to the planning profession. This award is selected and given by the Chapter President of APA Mississippi.